Spring expander



Sept. 20, 1932.

A. P. ESTES SPRING EXPANDER Filed Dec. 1,. 1928 RN m u, M ,k ,M Wh 3 MWI w J 7. \N m I r h a MN.

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MM IQ RN Patented Sept. 20, 1932 sane ARTHUR. P. ESTEQOF JACKSON,

srnine EXPANDEE Application filed December 1,

a device designe to engage the two ends of a spring and when actuated toforce the same apart and hold them in this condition until properconnection is made between the same and the respective supportingperches therefor.

I As is well known, considerable difficulty is experienced in placing inposition'springs of the type used upon Ford motor cars where thesupporting perches for the springs are mounted directly upon the vehicleaxle and the spring must be expanded or' stretched to span the spacebetween'these perches.

The present device is designed to overcome the difficulties involvedinplacing a spring in position by holding it in stretched or expandedcondition while the necessary secur- I ing members between the ends ofthe springs and the perches are placed in position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring expander of thecharacter described which will be of simple construction, strong anddurable, easy to manipulate and comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of the present invention with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so longas such changes or modifications mark no material departure from thesalient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the springexpanded embodying the present invention showing the same applied;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the gear casing;

1928. Serial in. 323,132.

TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO CARRIE MORRIS ESTES, F

JACKSON, TENNESSEE Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on theline 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail wherein like numerals of referenceindicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1indicates a gear casing or box forming a part of the present springexpander structure, this box having one side wall thereof as forexample, the wall 2 provided witha central opening 3 and upon its innerfaeconcentric with the opening and of larger interior' diameter than thesame,.an annular gear sleeve retainin flange 4.

The opposite wall 5 of t e casing is detachably secured in position bythe screws or other suitable securing devices 6 extending therethroughand engaging in suitable lugs 7 extending into the casingfrom theconnecting wall between'the walls 2 and 5. This removable wall is alsocentrally apertured. as at 8 and carries upon its inner face an annulargear engaging flange 9 arranged concentric with the opening 8 and ofgreater interior diameter than the same, as shown.

When the removable wall 5 is in'position the opening 8 thereof is inalignment with the opening 3 in the opposite wall.

Secured to the outer face of the fixed wall 2 of the gear casingconcentric with the opening 3 therethrough and by the lateralsurrounding flange 10, is the open endof an elongated sleeve 11, theopposite end of which is provided with the tapered or wedge-shaped head.12. V

The sleeve 11 is provided with a longitudinallyextending slot 13 whichterminates inwardly of the ends thereof and adjacent its inner end thesleeve has formed therethrough diametrically opposite the slot, anopening 14, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

Mounted transversely of and within the casing 1 is an interiorlythreaded gear sleeve 15 oneend of which positions in the annular flange4 while the other end merges with and forms an integral part of abeveled gear 16, the sleeve opening through the center of the gear bodyin the manner shown. The outer' face of the gear 16 is provided with anannular groove 17 for thereception of the centering flange carried uponthe inner face of the removable wall 5.

The sleeve portion 15 of the gear 16 carries a collar 18 from which anextension 19 projects which is provided with the bearing socket 20designed to receive the stud 21 projecting from the center of the innerface of the pinion gear 22 arranged adjacent the connecting wall betweenthe walls 2 and 5 andin mesh with the large gear16. The outer face ofthe pinion gear 22 carries a hub 23 which projects through a bearing 2eformed in this connecting wall and the outer end of this hub is providedwith a socket 25 of polygonal cross section for the reception of theportion 26 of a crank, this portion of course being ofsame crosssectional design as the socket.

The inner portion 26 of the .cra-nk'is connected by a universal coupling27 with the outer or handle portion 28 of the crank and in order tomaintain this inner portion in position in the socket of the hub oneface thereof is provided with a recess 29 in which is positioned aspring 30 normally forcing outwardly the ball-31 which is held againstcomplete projection from'the recess in any suitable manner so that onlya portion thereof will project beyond the face of thee-rank member forengagement in a receiving recess 32 formed in the wall of the hubsocket. In this manner accidental removal of the portion v26 of thecrank is prevented;

Extending through the opening'8 in the wall 5 of the gearcasing is athreaded shaft 33, this shaft being threaded throughout and designed forengagement with the threads formed Within the sleeve 15 through which itextends. The inner end of the shaft extends into the sleeve 10 andcarries a pin 34: which slides in the groove 13 and prevents the shaftfrom turning. the shaft 33 is provided with the tapered or wedge-shapedhead 35 similar to the head 12 carried at the outer end of the sleeve11.

In operating the spring expander the same is arranged in positionbetween the terminal eyes 36 of the spring 37, the tapered edges of theheads 12 and 35 engaging behind the eyes in the manner shown.

The cranked'portion 2 8 of the operating crank is then rotated to causerotation of the gears 16 and 22 which action causes the shaft 33 to moveout of the sleeve shaft 11.

be completely removed from the gear sleeve 15 and the parts of thedevice disassembled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A spring expanderof the character described comprising a casing, a tubular shaft securedto said casing and outstanding from one side thereof, a threaded shaftslidably mounted in the opposite side of the casing and adapted to moveinwardly of said tubular shaft, said tubular shaft cooperating with thecasing whereby to hold the threaded shaft in axial alignment with thetubular shaft and the casing, gear means in said casing engaging saidthreaded shaft and wedge shaped spring engaging means mounted on saidtubular shaft and said threaded shaft for engagement with the eyeportions of the springs. V 1

2. A spring expander of the character described com-prising a casing, atubular shaft secured to Said casing and extending outwardly therefrom,a threaded shaft slidably mounted in the opposite side of the casing andextending i wardly o said tu ular shaft, said tubular shaft cooperatingwith the casing whereby to hold'the threaded shaft in axial alignmentwith the tubular shaft and the casing, gear means in said casingengagingsaid threaded shaft, hi gedly mounted operating means for said gearmeans, and spring engaging means mou ted on the o ter end portions ofsaid tubular shaft and thread.- ed shafts, said spring engaging meanscomprising an angularly inclined member adapted for engagement with saidspring rearwardly of the eye portions thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. 1

ARTHUR P.

The-outer end of r The heads of the device are thus forced in 7 oppositedirections against the eyes 36 of the spring forcing the same apart andexpanding the spring the desired distance.

When it is desired to remove the threaded shaft 33 it is first threadeddownwardly until the pin 34 is brought into alignment with the opening14 through the sleeve shaft whereupon a suitable instrument may be in?serted through the opening to drive the pin from position. The threadedshaft can then

